That Brave Woman You Know…

You know her. She is your sister-in-law, your aunt, your childhood friend, your hairdresser, the woman you always run into at the grocery store, the mother of your child’s friend.

Perhaps it may have crossed your mind but you just did not want to think about it. Perhaps she even hinted to you. Perhaps it was just a feeling in the pit of your stomach.

She is suffering at the hands of someone who says he loves her. He tells her that he will stop. He tells her that he is sorry. Then he tells her that she is nobody without him. He tells her that if she reveals to anyone what is going on inside those four walls that she will suffer an even worse consequence. He tells her that she and her children belong to him.

And she believes it. Where is she going to go, anyway? Who will take her in? She has no money of her own. It is just her and her children. She covers up the emotional and physical bruises and just goes on. Besides, he will find her and hurt her worse if she tries to leave. Won’t he?

You know her. You may not realize it, but you know her. You may not think you cannot help her, but you can do just that.

I had no idea just how many of her I know until I learned about www.BraveWoman.org and their mission to movement to support women facing domestic violence situations. These women, our friends, relatives and acquaintances are not victims. They are courageous, they are strong and they are brave.

This year, “I pledge to honor and respect brave women and children who tackle the difficult journey of change from domestic violence to a new life…. I will remain aware of what is happening to others around me, and speak up against violence in any form. I will stand up for human dignity and safety for women and children.”

I have taken the pledge to help all Brave Women. Have you? Take the pledge at www.BraveWoman.org/take-the-pledge/

Join us for a Twitter party on Tuesday, January 17th from 8:00-9:00 pm EST to support all brave women, using the hashtag #BraveWoman.

Think about it. Who do you know?

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I am proud to be working with BraveWoman.org. This post has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for CollectiveBias. All thoughts and opinions are purely my own. #CBias #BraveWoman

Comments

I have a neighbor who suffered abuse for years at the hands of her husband. Then as the kid got older he started abusing them verbally. It was terrible to sit by and watch as she took it but I supported her as best as I could keeping my own safety in mind.

I secretly gave her a key to my house so she could come, have a safe place to run when she was ready but she never did. He continued to sabotage her relationships, isolate her, accuse her of infidelity, embarrass her in public.

He was a really great manipulator. But eventually people in our social circle started to see through his games and more people gave her support and although she never did leave him, she finally had him removed from the home and filed from divorce. It took ten years. I was so darn proud of her that day. She’s one brave woman.

Many years ago, I flew out to CA to secretly help my closest childhood friend move out of her ocean view Malibu mansion to a teeny tiny apartment. I thought she had it all! We cleared out her things, took necessary furniture and rearranged everything so he wouldn’t be able to tell right away. As her mother served him papers, we were setting up her new home several miles away. He had no clue. The only thing he asked her mom was, “Where is my Bronco (car)?”. As we slept on the floor of her apartment that night, I had never been so scared in my life.

It has affected me forever. Thank you for keeping this in the forefront!

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